During a recent press event, President-elect Donald Trump announced that Dubai-based DAMAC Properties plans a substantial investment—amounting to $20 billion—in US datacenters over an unspecified timeline. Trump introduced DAMAC’s chairman, Hussain Sajwani, who expressed enthusiasm for the venture, highlighting America’s technological edge. Sajwani detailed the plan to build datacenters in key regions such as the Midwest and the Sun Belt, aiming to be at the forefront of AI technology.

Trump explained that this significant financial commitment would support new datacenter infrastructures in states including Texas, Arizona, and Illinois. Sajwani noted the company’s track record of developing luxury real estate and its expansion into tech infrastructures globally.

The datacenter boom promises to boost the regional economies, creating thousands of jobs, though some concerns about its environmental impact remain. These projects are expected to double global datacenter electricity demand in the coming years, leading to scrutiny regarding their sustainability.

Labor and environmental groups have voiced concerns over the actual environmental benefits of using renewable energy for these datacenters. They argue that companies might not be as transparent about their energy consumption as they claim, urging more rigorous oversight.

Despite these concerns, Trump’s administration is pushing forward, aiming to smooth out regulatory processes to accommodate such large-scale investments, highlighting the economic growth they could spur.

As DAMAC embarks on this massive undertaking, industry watchers are keenly observing how this surge in datacenter investments will shape the landscape of US technology infrastructure.